Lemonade

Chapter 29: Bull.

Jackie's POV

It had been a month. A whole freaking month of being in the clasps of Elijah and his gang. A whole month of being treated like the gang sl**. A month of utter bulls***.

"Starr." Elijah called.

That was my name, now. I had grown accustomed to this life. The life of being a piece of meat for men to drool over and devour. The strip club was the first floor of a building that was Elijah's sanctuary. The gang headquarters. Only the main leaders lived here. And they had all their 'workers' stay here too. For safety.

The first week of being here, I was a stubborn brat. Sunshine was my only friend here and Devon had gone AWOL. For some reason, Elijah treated me like a princess. He said that it was because I was the next Moonshine(that was his previous top b****). That first night, he said I made a killing. So I'd get rewards. Said my reluctance drew more people in. He said that I'd sleep in his bedroom. That didn't stop him and the rest of his crew to oversexualize me whenever I passed them. Countless groping and dirty language made me accustomed to their behaviour. I was used to it. This was my life.

As the months went on, Elijah's prediction was spot on. I was the top b****. And it did make life here a little better. Because of Elijah, none of the sleaze balls here actually got their way with me. Some were close but they were taken out before anything happened. Three times I've been near moments of agony and pain. Three times I was near the experience of rape. Instead I ended up in brains and blood.

Elijah always saved me. Even if he used a gun to stop things from happening, he still saved me.

He seemed to grow on me. Yes, the threats were occasionally thrown in but I learned that he wasn't serious. He'd never hurt me.

"Starr!"

I jumped from his volume and entered his office, closing the door behind me. "Elijah."

"Don't make me wait." He paused. "Come here." He beckoned me over. I stood at the front of his desk to which he complained to. "Why are you so far away? Come sit on my lap."

I did as he said, already dreading this conversation. He placed a kiss on my cheek, making me look at him weirdly. "What are you doing?"

"I'm just kissing you."

"I know, why?" I said snarkily.

He pinched my waist a bit, making me squeal in surprise. "Don't use that tone with me. It's because I care about you."

I laughed at that. "Don't be crazy."

"Don't say that to me ever again." He snapped. "I'm not crazy. I just care very deeply about you."

"Like the other girls?"

He sighed, pressing his head against my boobs. I rolled my eyes at this and prepared myself for the essay that was to come. "You're special."

Nevermind. I scoffed and pushed his head away. "What did you really call me for?"

"I just wanted to see you." His answer was short and simple. Elijah is never simple.

"You're clearly high or something because this is not you."

He kissed my cheek again. "I'm not."

"Elijah, what's going on?"

"I love you."

His statement made me freeze. Love. I learnt that that word means nothing now. That word only came with deceit and pain. "Don't say that."

"I'm not River."

One of the things that happened was that Elijah cried me to sleep the first time I was almost raped by one of his men. I was depressed that night. Thinking of what my life would've been had I never met the boys. I cried as I felt the pain that came with thinking of Zara and most of all River. Word-vomit projected out my mouth as I spilled my guts to this sexy man that kidnapped me. He knows my pain. He understands.

"I'm not lying. You need to get him out of your head. You have me now?"

"Oh my gosh. Stop messing with my head." I shot up from his lap and headed straight for the door.

"What will it take for you to forget him?"

I froze and thought for a while. There was no way River would get out of my head. "If he dies. And I know that won't happen anytime soon. Get the idea of me and you out of your head because as long as River lives, I'll always love him." I exited without more than that and ran to his bedroom. Instantly, I flopped onto the bed and hugged a pillow tightly as I recalled the memories of having a normal life. I wonder how Zara is? If she's even worrying about me? I hope so.

"Jackie." I didn't even realize he had followed me. "River's not going to be forever. He's not bulletproof. And if you think that he'll come for you then I'm sorry but you've got another thi—"

He got cut off by his phone ringing and swore before answering it. In Norwegian. He spoke some foreign words and looked at me quite a few times. I raised my eyebrow as I figured he was talking about me or something relating to me.

"I'll be back."

"Wait, Elij—"

"Shut up." Swiftly, he pulled his gun from the back of his body and pointed it in my direction, making me widen my eyes.

"Elij—"

He put the safety off making me shift off the bed. "Don't move." I stood with my hands in suspension in the air. What the hell was happening? "Don't speak. Don't do anything. Get back on the bed." He spat, looking at me with hard eyes.

I obeyed him and crawled onto the bed. Right now, I was trembling in fear. In all the times Elijah threatened me, he had never been this brutal. Well, maybe except for our first meetings.

"Stay."

And he left.

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One more chapter guysssss.

It's gonna be... yah. Stay tuned and bare with me.

Stay faithful, woes✨